Lacerte (AF Score 75) and UltraTax CS (AF Score 74) are two of the most cross-shopped tax preparation platforms in our directory. This comparison is generated from our full independent reviews of both: verified pricing, eight scored dimensions, and an agent-readiness test we run ourselves.
The verdict at a glance
Lacerte scores higher overall (75 to 74), but the right pick depends on what you weight.
Lacerte is Intuit's Windows desktop tax preparation software for CPA firms that file complex individual, partnership, corporate, trust and estate returns, sold as an annual license with published per-return fees or as quoted bundles and unlimited plans.
UltraTax CS is Thomson Reuters' professional tax preparation software for CPA firms, covering individual, business, fiduciary, exempt and estate returns with federal and state e-file, sold as part of the CS Professional Suite.
Quick facts
- Lacerte AF score. 75/100
- Lacerte implementation. Medium
- Lacerte best fit. Firms with complex multistate work
- UltraTax CS AF score. 74/100
- UltraTax CS implementation. Medium
- UltraTax CS best fit. Firms on the CS Professional Suite
Dimension by dimension
- Compliance depth. Lacerte 76, UltraTax CS 74. Edge: Lacerte.
- Scalability. Lacerte 72, UltraTax CS 72. Edge: Even.
- AI / agent readiness. Lacerte 48, UltraTax CS 38. Edge: Lacerte.
- Support. Lacerte 70, UltraTax CS 58. Edge: Lacerte.
- Implementation. Lacerte 78, UltraTax CS 66. Edge: Lacerte.
- Pricing transparency. Lacerte 66, UltraTax CS 30. Edge: Lacerte.
- Tax content & coverage. Lacerte 86, UltraTax CS 84. Edge: Lacerte.
- Integrations & data flow. Lacerte 62, UltraTax CS 80. Edge: UltraTax CS.
Pick Lacerte if
- CPA firms with partnerships, trusts, estates and multistate business returns that need deep forms and diagnostics
- Firms already on Windows desktops or Rightworks hosting that want Intuit Tax Advisor planning built from the return
- Lower-volume preparers with complex returns who would rather pay per return than buy an unlimited license
Pick UltraTax CS if
- Firms of 6 to 500+ preparers already on Accounting CS, Workpapers CS or Practice CS that want one client list and data sharing across them.
- Practices with heavy multistate, fiduciary, exempt and estate work that want those forms and state e-file in one package.
- Firms that buy or plan to buy SurePrep and SafeSend and want document intake, preparation and e-sign delivery wired into the tax software.
Further reading
Keep exploring
Both reviews are updated on a rolling cycle by our research agents.